1 . Every year about 40,000 people attempt to climb Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa. They
Hearing these stories, I’m
However, I soon
The best of a Kilimanjaro
Does Kilimanjaro deserve its reputation as a crowded mountain with lines of tourists
A.keep | B.leave | C.connect | D.bring |
A.stories | B.buildings | C.crowds | D.reporters |
A.silent | B.doubtful | C.serious | D.crazy |
A.discover | B.argue | C.decide | D.admit |
A.equipment | B.grass | C.camps | D.stones |
A.clean | B.quiet | C.tall | D.faraway |
A.new | B.special | C.significant | D.necessary |
A.taking over | B.spreading out | C.carrying on | D.paying off |
A.atmosphere | B.experience | C.experiment | D.sight |
A.regarded | B.observed | C.explored | D.studied |
A.adventurers | B.climbers | C.natives | D.officials |
A.holding on to | B.going back to | C.setting out to | D.giving way to |
A.changes | B.clears | C.improves | D.permits |
A.Obviously | B.Seemingly | C.Absolutely | D.Finally |
A.keeping | B.ruining | C.replacing | D.creating |
2 . Fast fashion has been sweeping the whole world for its accessibility and price. However, these quick and easily accessible clothing brands aren’t as safe as they appear. As fast fashion grows, so does the environmental influence it leaves behind. Fast fashion brands search for the cheapest and fastest way to keep up with the latest trends, and many clothing items require large amounts of cotton, nylon and polyester (聚酯纤维). These materials may appear safe to the eye, but they have a greater impact on the environment than most people believe.
Cotton is the most profitable non-food crop in the world. The cotton industry makes up 7% of all labor in developing countries. Cotton, however, is not very safe for the environment once it’s mass-produced for clothing. Cotton planting, the process of putting the leaves of the cotton plants under the soil to grow new cotton, actually destroys the quality of the soil in which it is grown. Cotton production usually includes the use of fertilizers and pesticides, which not only pollute the soil, but also the water through polluted runoff.
Nylon, unlike cotton, is a fully synthetic (合成的) material. It is the first fabric (布料) to be made fully in a laboratory. Nylon is not biodegradable (可自然降解的) and its production is an energy-wasting process that creates unsafe gases and sends them into the atmosphere.
Polyester is made out of petroleum. This fabric is one of the world’s most popular and cheapest fabrics to make. Its whole production process sends unsafe gases into the air. Besides, once the polyester clothing is made, washing it sends microfibers into the environment, specifically in waterways. So polyester is considered one of the most perilous materials to the environment.
Despite various companies making clothing out of unsafe materials, it’s up to you to put a stop to it. Try shopping for more environmentally friendly materials. And when it’s time to get rid of old clothes, don’t throw them away. Instead of having your clothes become landfill, sell them, or even donate them to somebody else.
1. What can we learn from the first paragraph?A.Fast fashion is popular because of its high quality. |
B.Fast fashion has a negative effect on the environment. |
C.The materials of fast fashion brands are environmentally-friendly. |
D.Despite the expensive price, the materials of fast fashion brands are safe. |
A.A large quantity of water is wasted. | B.Harmful gases are sent into the air. |
C.The soil environment is damaged. | D.Great profits are gained by farmers. |
A.Safe. | B.Important. | C.Useful. | D.Dangerous. |
A.Call on people to take action. | B.Give a warning to the public. |
C.Offer some shopping advice. | D.Raise some questions of fast fashion. |
1. What’s getting less and less these days according to the talk?
A.Empty land. | B.Garbage. | C.Water. |
A.Burying it. |
B.Sending it out of our planet. |
C.Using it as an energy source. |
A.It is hardly ever done. |
B.It causes air pollution. |
C.It is useless for hard materials. |
A. locals B decrease C. experienced D.positive E.popularity F.efficiently G. focus H. increase I. respectful J. protect K.fiercely |
Eco-tourism involves people travelling to beautiful but environmental sensitive place. Such trips are usually carried out with a(n)
It is obvious that eco-tourism is beneficial in many aspects. First, all the money spent by the tourists is used to
Compared to normal tourists, eco-tourist use energy more
Two things are needed to make eco-tourism a success. First, it should be done in small groups. And second, because it requires great effort, both eco-tourists and
1. What are the speakers mainly talking about?
A.How to help people who suffer from a disaster. |
B.How to attend a performance. |
C.How to raise money for the poor. |
A.A donation ceremony. | B.A speech. | C.A concert show. |
A.It is not as rich as Turkey. | B.It wasn’t badly damaged. | C.It had enough support. |
6 . Animal populations across the world have been reduced by 69% in less than 50 years, according to a new scientific report. The report’s authors are calling for urgent action to restore the natural world.
The Living Planet Report (LPR) is produced every two years by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Zoological Society of London. The most recent report, released on October 13, 2022, shows that almost 70% of the world’s monitored wildlife was lost between 1970 and 2018. The report is based on research from 195 countries around the world. Data was collected from almost 32,000 populations of 5,230 species.
Although the average global loss of wildlife is 69%, the rate is greater in the global south. Latin America and the Caribbean in particular have seen the sharpest fall, having lost 94% of their wildlife since 1970. Across the world, the biggest drop was in freshwater populations of wildlife — including almost 1,400 species of mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles — which have decreased by 83%.
The report identifies several causes for wildlife loss, including hunting, farming, the loss of forests, pollution and climate change. However, the report also promotes solutions, such as designing less destructive food production systems, urgently protecting the Amazon rainforest, limiting the use of fossil fuels, and creating new laws to protect our natural environment.
Commenting on the report, Marco Lambertini, director general of WWF International, called the figures “terrifying”, and said “we need to help nature recover and not simply halt its loss.” In December 2022, world leaders are meeting in Montreal for the 15th UN Biodiversity Conference, also known as COP 15. The authors of the LPR say that this is an opportunity for a global plan to deal with wildlife loss and restore nature. “Government leaders must step up at COP 15,” said Lambertini. “The world is watching.”
1. What does the author mainly want to show by listing the numbers in the first three paragraphs?A.The causes of the urgent situation. | B.The seriousness of wildlife loss worldwide. |
C.The detailed process of the research. | D.The drop in freshwater populations of wildlife. |
A.Stop hunting and farming. | B.Not permit the production of wildlife food. |
C.Replace the fossil fuels with renewable energy. | D.Offer legal protection of natural environment. |
A.Accept. | B.Fear. | C.Stop. | D.Suffer. |
A.Concerned. | B.Indifferent. | C.Positive. | D.Satisfied. |
In an age of rapidly growing urbanization, rooftop farming has emerged as a sustainable response
Rooftop farming, also
As urban populations continue to grow, rooftop farming fosters community engagement
8 . As the world struggles to deal with the climate crisis, some companies are working to remove polluting carbon dioxide from the air.
Scientists say large amounts of CO2 must be removed from the CO2 atmosphere and stored.
That means humans need to come up with ways of removing carbon from the air and storing it. This is called Direct Air Capture(DAC). The science of removing carbon from the air is challenging, and it’s still pretty new.
A company called Heirloom has just opened the first DAC plant in the United States. The company heats up the limestone to separate out the CO2, which is concrete. The process is extremely expensive.
A.Plants and trees do this naturally. |
B.That’s a huge and challenging goal. |
C.Not everyone is excited about carbon removal. |
D.Graphyte is another US company working on DAC. |
E.The new plant can remove 1,000 tons of CO2 a year. |
F.Most DAC processes require a large amount of energy. |
G.As a matter of fact, CO2 is just a small part of the gases that make up air. |
9 . In the global effort to protect biodiversity, Mexico has been at the forefront. In particular, for more than 30 years. Mexico’s National Commission for the Knowledge and Use of Biodiversity (CONABIO) has promoted research, compiled information on the biodiversity of Mexico and elsewhere, and connected academia, government, and society to guide decision-making. Unfortunately, last month, the Mexican government announced its intention to reduce CONABIO from a multi-ministry federal government agency to a branch within the environment ministry. This will rid CONABIO of its independent voice, credibility, and influence on national and international policy.
CONABIO was created in 1992, which aimed to promote international cooperation on environmental issues of the 21st century. Since then, CONAB1O has digitized tens of millions of records in national and foreign collections and has processed satellite data on vegetation cover and wildfires. It is not only a data base but a model for best practices in biodiversity management. All information is publicly available online, and contributors decide when the information they provide will be made public. In the past 5 years, CONABIO had an average of 1000 users per week, and it was consulted at least once per day by health, agriculture, environment, foreign affairs, and government agencies from Mexico and other countries. CONABIO has become a world-sought reference on how to effectively compile useful information and make specific policy for the benefit of the population and biodiversity.
The proposed change for CONABIO will likely eliminate the support it provides for the sustainable management, use, and conservation of biodiversity for Mexico and the world. Given that Mexico is home to 10% to 12%of the world’s species, there is much at risk. CONABIO is already very cost-efficient, and its capacity to influence political decisions depends directly on its multi-ministerial character. Burying the agency is a path to put it to an end.
Should this move become effective, it would be the end of the many essential benefits that CONABIO provides to address the environmental crises that threaten the future of all life on Earth. It is time for Mexico’s scientists, Mexico’s population, and the world to speak out against destroying this valuable institution.
1. What may happen to CONABIO according to paragraph 1?A.It may be charged. | B.It may be dismissed. |
C.It may be investigated. | D.It may be downgraded. |
A.Its original purpose. | B.Its bright prospect. |
C.Its great contributions. | D.Its awkward situation. |
A.Remove. | B.Improve. | C.Obtain, | D.Ignore. |
A.Promote Mexico’s Biodiversity | B.Stand Up for CONABIO |
C.Stick to Sustainable Biodiversity | D.Improve the Fame of CONABIO |
10 . Look, let’s be honest-there’s no such thing as a “green” vacation. You’ll leave a carbon footprint, no matter what.
Is it a B Corp?
B Corps are businesses that meet a strict set of standards by the nonprofit B Lab. They include requirements for governance, workers, customers, community and the environment.
Does the company have any other environmental certifications?
Third-party certifications from Green Key, LEED and WELL can be signs that a travel company means business about the environment. Transportation companies may also offer verified certifications from organizations like Terrapass or the Gold Standard Foundation.
If the company claims to be green, don’t just take its word for it. Listen to what it says. If you see nothing but models on its Instagram channel or ads for online discounts on its site, perhaps it’s a shade of fake green. “A company’s social media strategy is generally a reflection of its current ethos and goals,” explained Julia Carter, founder of Craft Travel.
How deep is its commitment to the environment?
A.But your trip can be green-ish. |
B.What’s the company saying to everyone? |
C.How can we find a reliable company online? |
D.Don’t trust anything the company says to the public. |
E.These certifications aren’t a guarantee the company is green. |
F.Look for reliable reports on sustainability from a travel company. |
G.You can search the directory of these forward-looking companies online. |